I am new guy and this is my first post. Have been building rods for 50 years for myself.
Looking for the fastest 9' blank to cast lures from about 1.5 oz. to 2 oz. Have been using Lamiglas XSA108 2H. It is OK but loads too much with 2 oz. lures. Besides it is not as fast as I would like.
I fish the beach in Ma. and Fl. at locations where those who can cast the furthest catch the most fish.
I was considering a Lamiglas GLB108 2ML. It has thicker butt diameter, same tip size and is heavier than the XSA108 2H. Therefore should be faster. Is this a good choice or is there something faster that is available below $200?

One other question that I hope is not too far off topic..........Would the rod I plan to build cast further with New Concept guide set-up? Never tried it yet.
fisherhawkk@comcast.net

look at the mhx steelhead blank-sa1086-f-about 80$for the blank.lots of guys here on the obx have been going with these or similar blanks for slinging metal at spanish.as for casting further with any guide system,i believe it has more to do with angler technique.if you're comfortable with conventionals then i would build it for garcia 5500 or similar and that would get you the added distance

Are you talking about action or power? Action is where the rod initially flexes, not how "stiff" it is.

Both St. Croix and Pac Bay (Quickline) make some blanks with extremely fast tips. Perhaps others as well, but I'm familiar with these.

...............

Bill. what are you looking to cast and to catch? One thing if pompano another if cobia.

New concept guides is for spinning reels. If distance is my main concern I do better with conventionals in the weight ranges you mention. However the short answer is "Yes".

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

Thanks much for your replies.
I fish for false albacore, blues and stripers off the beach here where I live in Cape Cod. Spend a few months in Fl, Anna Maria Island, fishing beach for mostly pompano using Loomis 8'2" Greenwater spinning with 10 lb Power Pro on Stradic 4000. Sometimes king mackeral comewithing casting range, occasionally in May, even Tarpon. The Loomis is rather light for these larger fish.
When at home fishing for Stripers, usually at night, I use 10' Lamiglas and Penn 965 with 30lb Power Pro.and old fashioned rigged eels.
The pompano in Fl like 1/2 oz banana jigs in hot yellow or white/pink. Larger lures don't seem to work as good for them.
Rod I am planning to use would be used mostly here on the Cape using the Stradic with 15 lb Power pro and 1.5 - 2 oz metal or plugs. The Loomis casts a mile using same reel 10lb /line and 1/2 oz jigs. The action of this Loomis is called, "extra fast".
Actually, the Lamiglas Steelhead rod, XSA108 2H I built is a casting rod but I have been using it with a spinning reel . I know the guides don't line up right but it does cast quite well with 10 or 15 lb braid.. I think further than with using my Penn 965.on the same rod. I have a gang of old Garcias and a Shimano Calcutta 400 and the next size smaller, I think #250 with 20lb braid.

What I am looking for is an extremly fast tip llike the Loomis but with enough beef to handle metal and plugs up to 2 Oz.By fast action I mean, when the rod is flexed by hand, most of the curvature is in the tip end final few feet. My experience is that with such an action, I can cast light lures further with spinning set up.

Only recently heard of the "New Concept" and wondering if it really improves casting distance.

I have so many rods that I really don't need another but it is cold and damp here with little else to do and I scrounged up a few extra bucks for the job.


l

Here is the newer guide set up

[www.mudhole.com]

Bill - willierods.com

Take a look at the St Croix 3SC90HF2. Well within your budget and a very high quality blank.

Thanks again for the info. I checked out the St. Croix blank and it looks good. Also checked the Mudhole for guide set up. Guide spacing only goes up to 7.5 feet and a few more running guides might be needed for a 9'blank. There is link on the Mudhole page for sending questions regarding
the new guide system. I used the link to inquire about use on longer rods.

While there are many ways to do guide layout, it is best to stay away from a fixed chart. Here's a link to an easy system to use. [anglersresource.net]

Google up guide spacing charts
A guide per foot of rod length plus one

Then Static test which will tell you how many guides to use on that blank
Charts are JUST A STARTING POINT

Bill - willierods.com

I'll admit to liking a fast action blank but I'm not sure that I would say they out cast more moderate action blanks. I think it has a lot to do with what you are casting and your style/motion.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

Bill,
I checked out the 3C90HF2 that Jim recommended and then checked it action wise against the SA1086F-MHX and the SU1085F-2-MHX. Both the MHX blanks were faster in action but the SA was considerably heavier in power than the St. Croix blank. The SU1085-2 blank weighted in very similarly and was very similar in power.

Regards,
Todd Vivian
Mud Hole Custom Tackle

todd@mudhole.com

Todd,
Thanks for the tip. Just checked the specs of the SU1085-2 blank and it looks like what I want. Never used an MHX blank before. I will order it from Mudhole.

One other thing.....Never built a spinning rod with the new concept guide setup. I went back a few pages on this site and posted a question about them on an appropriate thread but did not receive a reply. The previous post on the thread was dated a few months ago so I suppose it faded out.

I am curious as to whether to use them on the rod I pan to build. I watched a few of the videos that show the wild coils of line coming off the reel spool and flowing into the guides. I suppose they were using mono for the tests. In recent years I have been using braid on all my reels, casting and
spinning. Since the braid is much more limp and thinner than mono, it must flow through the guides better with less coiling. Years ago, I made some quick and dirty comparison casting tests, 15# mono vs 15# briad, (same rod and reel) The braid casted considerably further.

My question. Using the new concept guide setup, will casting distance be improved measurably?

RE..Last sentence in my previous post...........

I meant improved casting distance using braid and not mono.

Bill, I think you are missing the important point.

Newer guide layouts feature less size guides and quickly move down to the smallest sized guide. Anytime you use a smaller/lighter guide, especially nearer the tip, you have made the rod more efficent. Using a smaller guide might allow you to use a better guide....perhaps SIC or titanium. Again that will improve performance some. This performance is more than just casting. Casting is just easier to measure.

Bottom line, once you go there you won't be going back...I promise. I find a #4 guide about as small as my eyes/hands want to deal with. On the other hand, I see little need for anything bigger than a #6 if I don't need to pass shock leaders and such.

My advice is to "just do it".

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

Bill,
my experience has been that improved casting distance may not necessarily be the case in spinning models but the reduction in tip weight and superior distribution of stress by the concept setup make it a far more desirable setup. You will not have a reduction in casting distance it's just debatable as to whether you will gain much. I know in my own rods the difference in the setup makes two of the same model feel like totally different rods.

Regards,
Todd Vivian
Mud Hole Custom Tackle

todd@mudhole.com

Thanks, guys. You sold me on the concept. Will order the blank and guides today.

Thanks, Todd, for for recommending the SU1085 blank. It just arrived and is exactly what I want. First MHX blank that I have ever seen. It has very fast taper and tip action. Only a few feet of the tip bend when flexing by hand. Along with the micro guides it should be agreat rod for light lures.
The action seems to be close to that of a Loomis Greenwater, 8'2" rod that I have been using for years. Might even be a little faster.

Todd,
How far from the butt should Imount the real seat on the 9' SU1085 blank. Usually mount seats on my 8 ' rods about 11=12" from butt.,